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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

ABANDONED THEATER: Danny's Top 20 Films of 2012

Hello, everyone! I am taking a break from my usual music-related writings to step in on YPOIW's Abandoned Theater segment, which, as the title suggests, focuses on films. This is a list of my top twenty favorite films of 2012 along with very brief blurbs for the top ten. Thanks for reading!- Danny Spiteri

20. Jeff, Who Lives at Home

19. The Secret World of Arrietty

18. The Dark Knight Rises

17. Django Unchained

16. Bernie

15. Argo

14. Silver Linings Playbook

13. This is 40

12. Amour

11. Wreck-it Ralph

10. Paranorman

The makers of 2009's exceptional Coraline return with Paranorman,
a well-intentioned depiction of misunderstood children that also serves
as an immaculately animated and genuinely humorous film for all ages.

9. Skyfall

Sam Mendes brings a fresh voice to the admirably
durable James Bond franchise, employing magnificent cinematography and
top-notch contributions from actors both fresh and familiar to the
series to create what is by far one of the best Bond films to date.

8. Cloud Atlas

Although it doesn't execute its thematically dense plot quite as coherently as it could, Cloud Atlas is nevertheless an enthralling, memorable film that mostly realizes its ambition.

7. Looper

Looper
is a stylish tech-noir film that succeeds both as a thrilling action
movie with an engaging plot and exciting sequences and as a
demonstration of how desire can eventually corrupt a person.

6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

From a distance, The Perks of Being a Wallflower could seem like a generic entry in the indie teen movie genre, but rather, the film transcends its clichés with irresistibly charming performances and emotionally resonant themes.

5. Seven Psychopaths

Martin McDonagh's followup to 2008's In Bruges
is a witty piece of satire that smartly makes commentary on Hollywood
films, also utilizing its all-star cast to great comedic effect.

4. Beasts of the Southern Wild

An aesthetically beautiful, exceptionally paced coming-of-age story, Beasts of the Southern Wild
is not only a promising debut from director Benh Zeitlin, but also an
excellent showcase for young lead actress Quvenzhané Wallis' stunning
performance.

3. Holy Motors

Parallels between "the stage" and "real life" have been drawn before, but Holy Motors expresses them via a highly surreal and bizarre lens, comparing the cinema to reality in a thought-provoking and surprisingly relatable fashion.

2. The Master

Never shortchanging its expertly developed characters, The Master
is an intricate exploration of faith, loneliness, and the often confused search for fulfillment, featuring
superb performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and
Amy Adams, as well as typically masterful direction from one of modern
cinema's most respectable names, Paul Thomas Anderson.

1. Moonrise Kingdom

Wes Anderson has been fine-tuning his
signature style of quirky indie film making over the course of his
filmography, arriving at what is arguably his finest film yet with Moonrise Kingdom, a gorgeously framed, tastefully heartwarming, and appropriately funny tale of love between two outsider-esque children.